“Brick, can I ask you something?”
He grunted.“You can ask.”
She hesitated long enough that he turned his head, meeting her worried eyes.
“I don’t want you to be alone tonight,” she whispered.“Not after a nightmare like that.”
Brick’s heart thudded hard against his ribs.
She rushed on, cheeks warming.“I’m not asking for anything else.I just—” Her voice trembled slightly.“I just want you to sleep.Really sleep.And if having someone nearby helps, I can stay.Only if you want.”
Brick couldn’t speak for a moment.He stared at her, stunned.
Women had offered him their bodies before.Their attention and their flirtation, but no one had ever offered him something as simple and devastating as comfort.
She started to pull back.“Sorry.That was too much,” she murmured.
Brick reacted fast.He wrapped his hand gently around her wrist.
“Tessa.”His voice came out rough as gravel.“I want that.”
Her breath hitched.“You do?”
Brick nodded once.It felt like trying to lift a car with one hand, getting the words out.“Yeah.”
He let go of her wrist slowly, afraid of holding too tight.Afraid of the force in him that always threatened to spill over.
“I’m not used to,” he exhaled, “sharing a bed for sleep.”
She smiled.“That’s fine.”
Brick shifted backward on the mattress, giving her space, even though every part of him was buzzing with nerves and something he didn’t want to name.
Tessa moved slowly, carefully.Like she understood he was made of explosives, and any wrong move might set him off.
She slid under the blanket beside him, lying on her side.Their bodies didn’t touch, not really, just the faint brush of warmth between them.
Brick stared at the ceiling, trying to regulate his breathing, but he could feel her watching him.
“You okay?”she asked softly.
No.He wasn’t okay.He was overwhelmed, unsteady and off-balance even.Hell, Brick decided he didn’t care.
“Yeah,” he murmured.“More than I should be.”
Her smile was in her voice.“That’s not a bad thing.”
She reached out slowly, giving him plenty of time to pull away, and rested her hand lightly on his forearm.A whisper of a touch.Brick closed his eyes and something in his chest loosened.
He didn’t move for a long moment.The faint weight of her palm grounded him more effectively than any weapon he’d ever carried.
“Tessa,” he said, voice low, “I might fall asleep on you.”
“That’s the plan,” she whispered.
A breath of a laugh escaped him.She curled her fingers on his arm, cuddling close but not clinging.Tessa was just providing reassurance.
“Brick?”Her voice was barely audible.
